The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-08
TRANSPORTATION PROBLEMS
The Pacific Lines Ask a Construction of
the LOng-and-Short-Haul Clause.
Section FourSuspended on Request of a North
ern Road-RaiIway Men Think This Ac-
ton Foreshadows Failure Of the Law.


Pacific and Union Pacific railways. The ques-
ton is also before of making. in competition
with Cape Horn and the lsthmus of Panama,
railroad rate that permits shipments between
San Francisco and Atlantic ports. those rates, in
order TO meet competition, being necessarily
lower for longer distance than those charged
for q shorter, and far below what would be !
rate for the service performed. We
construe the fourth section of the interstate COM
merce act practically to be. in substance. the ap-
Dcatlon 10 Interstate commerce of the common
law principle that the shipper avail himself
Of competition, and that less rate may be
charged for longer than shorter distance,
providing more could not be obtained. If the
right OF competition is recognized between
the carrier and the shipper. carrying bust
ness will not be interrupted. but otherwise We
shall be unable to compete for the Chinese and
Japanese trade with the Suez canal, and also
unable TO compete with the water routes, by
Panama and Cape Horn, for business origin
sting in California. We await your construc-
$ion. LELAND STANFORD,
President Southern Pacific Railroad"
WASHINGTON. April 5.
ITO Leland stanford. San Francisco:
Application to the commission for special ex-
eeption under the interstate commerce law can
only be granted after Investigation into the
facts A verified petition setting forth the
grounds of application tiH should be presented.
''SAN Francisco. April S.
sJudge T. NJ. Cooley, Chairman, Washington. D. c.:
I'VE do not ask for q ruling upon a special
case. but q construction of Section 4, as all the
business between Pacific and Atlantic ports is
governed by competition, the business from
ports of China and Japan across the continent to
Atlantic ports is governed by competition, and
agents in China and Japan, to obtain business
make rates to meet the competition Of Suez
One of the Oriental and Occidental companys
ships will arrive in few days with cargo,
mostly for points east Of the Rocky mountains
=
are maintained, the contracts made for shipment
cannot De carried out All the through bust
ness Of the overland lines is involved. and we
cannot accept and dispatch freight, except upon
q general ruling applicable to all business. The
question arises upon every ton of freight offered
for shipment and practically we find ourselves
unable TO do through business. You will see,
therefore, that special ruling or exception will
not meet the case, as 1t arises upon every ton of
freight offered. LELAND STANFORD"
''WAsHINGToN April z.
Iceland Stanford. San Francisco:
"The commission were under no misapprehen-
sion regarding the facts, but they still hold that
il, rather than take the responsibility of your
own construction, you call for authoritative
action. case must be formally presented by Pc
eition and then investigated by them
IT. ID. COOLEY, Chairman"
The commission has, to-day. promulgated the
following
''The Detroit, Grand Haven & Milwaukee
Railroad Company having made application to
the COMMISSION for suspension of the operation
OF Section of the iuterstate-commerce law, so
far as it would apply to traffic taken across Lake
Michigan to Grand Haven and destined to points
east of the Detroit and St Clair rivers, and
having assigned as a reason for such suspension
that the said railway company owns and operates
a line of boats on Lake Michigan, and mas been
doing so for many years past, and. by common
consent of its competitors. has been allowed to
charge less rate from Milwaukee by way
of Grand Haven the traffic above men
toned than is charged on the all-rail lines
by way OF Chicago on the like traffic,
and that 1.-THE making of such less rates by said
railway company is just and fair as between
Milwaukee and Chicago, and IL necessary to en-
able said petitioner TO compete with said lines
by way OF Chicago; and the said railway COM
pany having further shown that between certain
points on its line east of Leke Michigan it has
been customary to make rates on such traffic
which are greater for q shorter than for longer
haul which greater charges are reasonable and
correspond TO those made by competing lines;
ann the commission having heard the said appii-
cation and duly considered it. and it appearing
70 the commission that the case is a proper one
for temporary relief, it is now ordered that for
period of ninety days from this date the opera
ton of the said fourth section of the interstate
commerce law be suspended as to the traffic
from Milwaukee over the petitioners line so far
as to permit the charging of greater rates for the
transportation of property from Grand
Haven and points easterly thereto,
to and including Ionia. and to points
east of the Detroit and St. Clair river than are
charged on the like traffic from Milwaukee to
points east of the same rivers over the same
line and also for the transportation Of property
to Ionia and Grand Haven and points between
the same from points east oe the Detroit and St.
Clair rivers than are charged on the line traffic
70 milwaukee over the same line, but subject,
nevertheless, to the restriction that such charges
70 and from Grand Haven, Ionia and ntermedi-
ate points shall not at any time exceed the for
warding rates on the like traffic between the city
of Chicago and the sarne points east of said De-
sroit and St Clair rivers. nor greater in proper
ton to Milwaukee ia tes than now charged
by the petitioners line. And it is further or
dered that this order shall only take effect on a
copy thereof being ted by said petitioner with
its tariff rates at each of the stations at which
such higher rates rnay be chargeable and the
same shall be kept so posted for general informa-
lion. and any party or locality claiming to be
lggrieved by such rates shall be at liberty, at
my time to apply by petition for modification
,r rescission hereof
The commission, upon a second petition OF the
Douthern Railway and Steamship Association
added certain competitive points to the list
which had been inadvertently omitted in their
6rst petition.
An application of the steamship lines and the
merchants of Boston to authorize the trunk
lines of railroads from Chicago to Boston to con-
tofore. giving ecu al rates with New York on all
merchandise exp orted, has been referred to
Commissioner Walker for investigation. who
Will visit Boston, the commission taking re-
cess until Friday of next week for that purpose.
Railway View OF the Commissioners Action.
PHILADELPHIA A. April THE general opinion
among railroad officials in this city is that the
action of the Interstate commerce Commission
On the long and short-haul question. concerning
the Southern railroads, will crush the entire
measure. They argue that this is the most vi.
tai feature of tho entire act and that the stand
taken by the com mission even though it De of a
temporary nature, is the entering wedge that
will split the whole log. '"rhere ia no railroad
of any consequences in the entire corntrv,n said
one prominent railroad executive officer to-day.
shat will not nlaks the same claim as that con-
tended for by the Southern lines, and the JUS
tice of their c aim cannot fail to be- recognized
Here. in almost the first act of the commission.
they array against them every railroad that has
directly or remotely n water route as a competi-
tor. and. furt her than this, they have taken
such position as will unsettle commercial af-
fairs OF the country for three months or more.
The Boycott and the Interstate Law.
ST. LOUIS April Judge Ports. general
solicitor of the Missouri Pacific Railway Com
pany, has given opinion that the recent action
OF the trunk lines in refusing to sell the tickets
n mn Aad onl Ill 49, IS